2009 all-area team

The Minneota football team had a flawless season this year, resulting in the Vikings' fourth ever state title and first ever since competing in Class 1A.

As a result of their impressive run through the regular season and into the postseason, the Vikings head this year's Independent All-Area Football Team with seven players filling spots on the team, including this year's Player of the Year, Tony Noyes.

Dawson-Boyd and Westbrook-Walnut Grove each placed five players on this year's All-Area roster, while Marshall and Murray County Central each had four.

The following is a capsule look at the each player on this year's All-Area Football Team.

OFFENSE

n Noyes, a 6-foot-4 senior receiver/tight end/kick returner for Minneota was an all-around player for the Vikings. Noyes was the No. 1 receiver for the Vikings, catching 47 balls for 781 yards and nine touchdowns. He was also a weapon in the backfield rushing for 606 yards and nine scores.

As a punt returner, Noyes returned 14 punts for 298 yards, including two touchdowns.

On defense, Noyes played defensive back and finished with 33 tackles and one forced fumble.

n Brandon Anderson, a 5-foot-11 junior fullback for Minneota led the team from the backfield as he rushed for 1,863 yards on the year, including 34 touchdowns. He averaged 133.1 yards per game and was named All-State Honorable Mention. Anderson also caught a handful of balls on the flat for 67 yards.

Anderson was the prime threat week-in and week-out for opposing defenses but even when the game plan was devoted to stopping Anderson, he would still find the end zone.

"He was a very good running back for us," said Minneota head coach Chad Johnston. "He was a very good compliment to the other guys in our offensive scheme. He was a good, hard runner and basically did what we asked him."

n Derek Riley, a 6-foot senior running back for Wabasso, led the Rabbits with 1,823 yards on the ground and 21 touchdowns throughout the year. He also recorded seven two-point conversions in helping lead the Rabbits to a 7-3 record for the year.

Riley finished his career with Wabasso rushing for 4,927 yards and 65 touchdowns. His rushing total ranks him 16th all-time in career rushing list in the state. He was named to the Tomahawk All-Conference team and was an All-State Honorable Mention honoree.

His versatility also allowed him to catch five balls for 74 yards and one touchdown and also kick 7-of-10 extra points.

On the defensive side of the ball, as a linebacker, he made 89 tackles, had two sacks, two interceptions and recovered one fumble.

n Matt Anderson, a 6-foot-1 senior running back for Dawson-Boyd, rushed for 1,600 yards and 18 touchdowns on the season, including a 244-yard, six touchdown performance against TMB. Anderson and the Blackjacks finished the regular season tied for second in the Little Sioux and went on to advance to the Section 5A championship with Minneota. He was named All-State Honorable Mention.

Anderson played both ways, recording 23 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a defensive end, while also returning both punts and kicks when needed.

"He's really a true role model," said Dawson-Boyd head coach Cory Larsen. "The way he goes about his business, they way he prepares in the offseason, a lot of the younger kids look up to him."

n Garett Amundson, a 5-foot-11 senior running back for WWG, rushed for 1,352 yards and 19 touchdowns on the year. He also made 11 catches for 64 yards and one touchdown.

On defense, Amundson recorded 44 tackles, two interceptions and two pass deflections. He was named to the Southern Confederacy All-Conference team.

Amundson helped lead the Chargers to an 8-0 record in the regular season and a No. 1 seed in the Class 3A tournament.

"Garett is a guy you started to game plan for," said WWG co-head coach Carter Ross. "He could, and did, go to the house from anywhere."

n Sam Derynck, a 5-foot-10 senior quarterback for Minneota was the leader for the Viking offense. He threw for 2,152 yards and 34 touchdowns on the year, including a four-touchdown performance against Adrian in the Class 1A Championship game.

He was also a threat to escape from the pocket and pick up some yards with his legs as he rushed for 212 yards and one touchdown.

Derynck was also a leader for the defensive unit as a defensive back. He made 33 tackles on the season, one of which for a loss, while also breaking up four passes and forcing one fumble. An All-State Honorable Mention and an All-Conference Little Sioux selection.

"He was that field leader," said Johnston. "A lot of people looked to him because, as a quarterback it's a natural position to be a leader, and him being in that position for three years really gave him the experience needed to lead our team."

n Shane Erickson, a junior quarterback for Tracy-Milroy-Balaton had some big shoes to fill heading into the season, having to take over for standout QB Isaac Dolan. But in his first year at the helm, Erickson led the Little Sioux Conference with 1,517 yards and 15 touchdowns in the regular season. He also rushed for 305 yards and four touchdowns.

He was a captain and was also named to the Little Sioux All-Conference Team.

"Shane stepped into a very difficult role this year replacing Isaac Dolan as starting quarterback," said TMB head coach Derek Flann. "He faced some ups and downs throughout the season, but handled the transition very well. He was asked to carry our team in a lot of games and did so in our first win of the year."

n Mason Comnick, a 6-foot-1 senior quarterback for WWG, passed for 1,265 yards on the year, including 14 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

His athleticism allowed him to escape the pocket and make plays on the run as well as through the air. Comnick went on to rush for 443 yards and seven touchdowns.

On defense, Comnick made 70 tackles and picked off opposing quarterbacks twice, while also knocking down two passes. As a punter, he averaged 30 yards per kick.

He was a Southern Confederacy All-Conference player for three years and led the conference in quarterback rating.

"He was as accurate of a passer as we have had in 15 years," Ross said. "He was patient and that contributed to his high percentage (63 percent completion percentage) and 20 extra points."

n Josh Soupir, a 6-foot senior wide receiver for TMB was Erickson's No. 1 target throughout the season. He finished the year with 596 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He also carried the ball eight times for 49 yards.

Soupir was a safety on defense recording, 32 tackles and one fumble recovery. He also was tied for second in the conference with four interceptions. Soupir was a team captain and was named to the Little Sioux All-Conference Team.

"Josh has been a solid player for us over the past two seasons," Flann said. "He was one of the few juniors to crack the lineup on last year's undefeated team. He was always capable of making big plays for us."

n Andrew Roiger, a 6-foot-1 senior wide receiver for Dawson-Boyd, was quarterback Ryan Swenson's No. 1 target throughout the season. Roiger made 29 grabs for 600 yards and eight touchdowns. He also returned kicks and punts, combining for two return touchdowns one kick-off return and one punt return.

On defense, Roiger was a shutdown cornerback with 21 tackles, nine pass deflections and four interceptions. He also brought one pick back for a touchdown.

"He was a big key in all three phases of the game," said Larsen. "He had a great career as a receiver. He's a solid kid, big target, strong kid, good hands. He's one of those kids you can stretch the field with because he's got good speed and he's also a good route runner."

n Skyler Stensrud, a 6-foot-1 senior wide receiver for Marshall, was a key threat in the Marshall offense. Stensrud led the Tigers with 24 catches for 503 and four touchdowns. He was always a threat with the deep ball, averaging 21.0 yards per catch.

On defense, Stensrud played cornerback and recorded 21 tackles and three pass deflections. He also tied for the team lead with two interceptions.

"Skyler was able to make some big plays," said Marshall head coach Terry Bahlmann. "He averaged over 20 yards a catch for us this year and was a huge part of our passing game."

n Will Kurka, a 6-foot-4 senior tight end for Minneota was a big part of the Viking offense not only as a pass-catcher, but also as a blocker. Kurka was instrumental in taking on linebackers to open holes for Anderson or Noyes.

He finished the year with 36 catches for 646 yards and led the team with 15 receiving touchdowns.

Kurka played defensive end as well and was one of the best pass-rushers on the team, recording a team-high 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss.

"We not only used him as a true tight end but he split out quite a bit," Johnston said. "He's a big, athletic kid. For us to have a 6-4, 220-pound tight end, that's pretty rare."

n Patrick Schweim, a 6-foot-2 senior tight end for WWG was a force for the Chargers on both sides of the ball. He was big target in the red zone for WWG, while also helping block in the running game. Schweim made 19 grabs for 230 yards and three touchdowns.

He played defensive end for the Chargers and finished the year making 44 total tackles including 5.5 sacks and one fumble recovery to help him be named All-Conference.

"Patrick was a quick and nice target," Ross said. "He always gave us 100 percent and was down field blocking when the play was away."

n Jarrett Wager, a 6-foot junior was the No. 1 offensive lineman for the Blackjacks, helping pave the way for Anderson and Jake Bothun in the backfield.

He helped the Blackjacks rush for 1,805 yards and help protect Swenson when he dropped back to pass. Dawson-Boyd only allowed three sacks on the season.

"He was a big part of our offensive line," said Larsen. "He was a 225-pound kid that has a good athletic IQ. He was a smart, smart kid up front. He does a great job of getting out on linebackers and a lot of times when we needed a yard or two we would run Matt (Anderson) over him."

n Luke Klein, a 6-foot-1 senior offensive tackle for the Tigers helped open holes for Marshall to rush for 2,195 yards on the year. He was a two-year starter and a first team All-Southwest Conference player who was instrumental in leading a young line.

On the defensive line he made 13 tackles, including three tackles for loss.

"He was a very physical run-blocker," Bahlmann said. "He was the stability of our offensive line. I think Luke took a leadership role on and the other four or five young lineman that we played looked to him for leadership and consistency and I think he provided both for us."

n Derek Berg, a 6-foot senior offensive lineman for the Rabbits was a big part in Riley's rushing success. He was a two-year starter at left tackle for Wabasso and had two 1,000-yard rushers behind him.

"He was an outstanding drive blocker," said Wabasso head coach Joe Kemp.

n Levi Brummer, a 6-foot junior offensive guard for WWG was a key contributor in the offense, helping opening holes for Amundson and protecting Comnick in the pocket. He was also the Chargers' best defensive lineman with 63 total tackles, four sacks and one tackle for loss.

"(He was) a very good pulling guard," Ross said. "Our best defensive lineman. His presence in the middle shut down most running games."

n Jacob Horner, a 6-foot junior offensive lineman for Minneota, helped make Brandon Anderson's job easier as one of the top offensive lineman for the Vikings.

Horner helped the Vikings rush for 3,749 yards on the ground throughout the year, and 62 touchdowns. He also helped protest Derynck and allowed the quarterback to throw for an average of 153.7 yards per game. He has been a starter since his freshman year and Johnston said he has really come into his own since that time.

"He is one of our best," Johnston said. "It's good to have him coming back next year. .. Him and a couple of other guys will really be the core of our offensive line."

DEFENSE

n Brennan Cable, a 6-foot-2 junior defensive tackle for Marshall was a defensive leader for the Tigers, recording 54 total tackles and two sacks. He led the Tigers with 11 tackles for loss and was named the Southwest Conference's Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Cable was also the third leading rusher for the Tigers, finishing the season with 384 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry.

"Brennan was one of our leaders on defense," said Bahlmann. "He's been a two-year starter for us and he's our motor guy, our high-energy guy. He never stops. He's relentless on defense and even though he might be a little undersized for a D-tackle, we know he's going to play for it every play."

n Alex Peterson, a 6-foot-1 senior defensive end for MCC tied for the most sacks on the team with 9.5 and recorded a total of 56 tackles on the year. He made 11 tackles for loss, forced three fumbles and brought one back for a touchdown in the season opener against Lakeview. He was also named All-Little Sioux Conference.

"He's been a starter for us since he's been a sophomore," said MCC head coach Chris Davis. "He's been a great player for us over the years."

n Brock Claeys, a 5-foot-10 senior defensive end for Canby was one of the biggest impact players for the Lancers on defense.

He finished second on the team with 60 total tackles throughout the year, including three sacks and three forced fumbles. He also recovered four fumbles.

n Corey Fleahman, a 6-foot senior defensive lineman for Lincoln HI, led the Rebels with 122 total tackles in the regular season, an average of 14 tackles per game.

He was the defensive leader for Lincoln HI and had a knack for finding the ball carrier.

n Michael Hammer, a 6-foot-2 senior linebacker for Minneota proved his toughness in the playoffs when he battled through a torn ACL. His defensive duties were lifted but he continued to battle on offense as he helped lead the VIkings to the state championship.

On defense, Hammer was a true leader for the Vikings, heading the team in tackles before injuring his knee and finishing among the team's best in sacks. He rounded out his year with 59 total tackles and got to the quarterback 10.5 times. He also forced two fumbles.

"He's just a very instinctive kid," said Johnston. "He knows how to get to the ball, he knows how to make the correct tackles and takes the correct angles. He also likes to hit people."

n Mason Hegna, a 6-foot-1 senior linebacker for Yellow Medicine East was a team captain for the Sting and led the team with eight sacks. He finished the year with 59 total tackles and paced the defense with nine tackles for loss. He recovered two fumbles and scored one touchdown on defense.

As a running back, Hegna rushed for 129 yards and seven touchdowns.

n Tyler Sand, a 5-foot-11 senior linebacker for YME led the team with 123 tackles and was named the West Central Conference South Most Valuable Defensive Player of the Year. He was a captain for the Sting and was also voted the team's Most Valuable Player and the team's Most Valuable Defensive Players.

On the offense, Sand paced the rushing attack with 597 yards on the ground and seven touchdowns.

n Lance Weber, a senior linebacker for RTR, was among the team leaders with 72 total tackles and had three sacks. He was a leader for the Knights on both sides of the ball, topping the team in rushing with 1,019 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also caught seven balls for 123 yards and one score.

n Jason Minett, a senior linebacker for RTR, led the team with 128 total tackles, reaching double digits in tackles in every game but one throughout the season. Minett also got to the quarterback three times and recovered two fumbles.

He was also an offensive weapon rushing for 605 yards and 10 touchdowns.

n Esten Weber, a 5-foot-9 sophomore linebacker for the Blackjacks, led the team with 100 tackles, including a 12-tackle performance against MACCRAY in the Section 5A playoffs. He also recorded one sack, one fumble recovery and one interception to help lead a defense that allowed just 12.2 points per game.

"He was one of those kids that we expected some things out of this season," Larsen said. "I think that kid grew up so much mentally in the last six months, it's amazing. We knew he was always a good football player but he now has a good head on his shoulders."

n Jesus Garza, a 6-foot-2 senior linebacker for MCC led the team with 70 total tackles on the season, including 16 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also made two interceptions and one pass deflection.

He played on the offensive line when the Rebels had the ball and helped the Rebels rush for a team total of 2,115 yards.

"He's an emotional leader," said Davis. "He led the team in tackles and did a great job for us."

n Todd Hennen, a 5-foot-7 senior linebacker for Marshall led the team with 78 tackles, which included 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He also forced one fumble and made one interception. Hennen went on to be named to the Southwest Conference All-Conference team.

"He's a very smart hitting player," said Bahlmann. "He played undersized at 145 pounds but his instincts overshadowed the lack of size and he really played well and was a really stabilizing factor on our defense."

n Gage Larsen, a junior linebacker for Lakeview led the team with 112 total tackles and made five solo tackles for loss. He was one of the key cogs in the Lakers' defensive unit sacking the quarterback five times and forcing two fumbles.

n Eric Wieneke, a 5-foot-11 senior cornerback for MCC recorded 25 tackles and deflected 13 passes. He was also able to make the big hit when needed, forcing one fumble and making one tackle for loss.

On offense, Wieneke rushed for 1,075 yards and five touchdowns, including a 67-yard run in the opening game against Lakeview. He also caught eight passes from the backfield, two of which resulted in touchdowns.

"Eric didn't have the stats he had the previous two years but they (opponents) went at our other corner rather than him," said Davis. "He was a three-year starter so that really helped us in the long run."

n Beau Bofferding, a 5-foot-8 sophomore cornerback for Marshall made 25 tackles and deflected three passes. He also tied for the team lead with two interceptions.

Bofferding also rushed for 657 yards and eight touchdowns while also making 14 receptions for 134 yards and one touchdown.

Versatility was Bofferding's biggest asset as he also returned kicks and punts for the Tigers. He averaged 23.8 yards per kick return and broke one for a touchdown. His special teams skills earned him the Special Teams Player of the Year for the Southwest Conference.

"Beau's an explosive player," Bahlmann said. "He averaged over 10 yards per carry on offense. His things that he excelled at was his speed and quickness."

n Taylor Hoffbeck, a sophomore cornerback for the TMB, was a player who stepped up defensively for the Panthers. He finished the year with 34 total tackles and was second on the team with two interceptions.

He also forced two fumbles throughout the year.

n Kyle Delong, a 6-foot senior safety for MCC led the Little Sioux Conference with six interceptions one for a touchdown. He tallied 62 total tackles and forced one fumble. He also deflected 12 passes.

DeLong was the Rebels' quarterback on offense throwing for 293 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 177 yards and three scores.

"I wish he was a junior so then he could come back," Davis said. "He led the team in interceptions and was second in the team in tackles. He was a three-year starter so he had the experience that we could roll coverage and a lot of different things with Kyle back there."

n Aaron Theisen, a 6-foot-1 safety for WWG is making his second appearance on the Independent All-Area Team as a safety. He made 44 tackles and picked off quarterbacks four times. He also deflected four passes and forced one fumble.

As a receiver he made 41 catches for 402 yards and four touchdowns, helping him be named to the Southern Confederacy All-Conference team.

"Aaron led our secondary," said Ross. "His knowledge of the other team's offense really was a key to our defense's success. (He has) great instincts to the ball."

SPECIAL TEAMS

n Ryan Swenson, a junior kicker for Dawson-Boyd, hit two field goals and connected on 43 of 49 extra-point kicks for the Blackjacks. Swenson was also a quarterback in the offense and a cornerback on the defense.

He threw for 1,284 yards and 11 touchdowns while also rushing for 156 yards and six touchdowns.

"When this kid was in our punt, pass and kick competitions in elementary he was pretty good," said Larsen. "We kind of had an idea when he came out for football that he could punt it and kick it."

n Nick Lecy, a senior punter for YME, was named the Sting's Special Teams Player of the Year after punting the ball 45 times on the season with an average of 32 yards per punt. He also converted on 20 extra-point kicks.

Lecy was a wide receiver for the offense, accumulating six catches for 164 and one touchdown.

n Jacob Cheadle, a junior kick returner for Minneota averaged 29.3 yards per return on 10 returns throughout the year. When he was given the space he would take advantage as he took two kicks back for touchdowns.

"His speed is just very, very valuable on special teams," said Johnston. "Obviously he catches the ball, he can make people miss when he gets in the open field. ... He was a very, very talented special teams kid."

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